Setting
EM’s flat. AC is late as always. EM is upset at the number of emails she has.
Present: EM (President), JC (Vice-President), RJ (FCO), ES (Senior Welfare Officer), SM (Postgraduate and Mature Students’ Committee Chair), SW (Chair), AJ (Librarian), MW (Social Chair), SA (Outreach Chair), CG (Communications Officer), JR (Facilities Manager), AC (Sports & Societies Chair)
Apologies:
Absent: EE (International Rep)
Exec Updates – EM
ES: Take time to sign, social media. Stress prevention week coming up. Have a campaigns team now who will hopefully put on some vents. Movember coming up. Nice to do things together.
SA: Can we post about it on S&S page and do it as everyone together?
ES: Want to make a JCR calendar for Movember to do things cohesively.
SM: I have a committee, it’s quit big and I’m happy. We have a plan for term, just need to check dates. Want to do a pub quiz but don’t want to clash with anyone. Want to aim end of November.
RJ: Reclaims, buying from reserves. Participation fund. Sorting out music room.
SW: JCR meeting last Monday. Quiet period until next meeting. Want to a detailed poster about motions and what they are.
AJ: Most librarians sorted and timetabled. Stock manager applications have been sent out. Book order is being sorted.
AC: Naked calendar is only thing. Trying to get interest from a range of societies, not just men. Outreach are picking charity. No S&S reporters so I’m reporting when I can.
JR: Bought Green machine stuff and music stuff, sorted music room and karaoke hire.
MW: Busy time for me, planning Michaelmas ball. Social comm is great. I’ll need help nearer the time for set-up.
SA: Volunteering projects are about to begin, just waiting on DBS checks. Numbers good for rugby, FRAMDA struggling because people can’t do Tuesdays. About to start planning 12 days of outreach.
CG: Working with ES on take time to sign. I got it on Durfess. Working on housing talk. SU is fine. Some people in Cuth’s have applied for open positions on Assembly. University Challenge try-outs had very little diversity. Newsletter is peachy.
JC: Minutes, stash.
EM: Been to a load of meetings, walked around house 8 with someone from operations review. They had ideas about re-using space, but those ideas were shit and not possible. Presidents’ forum, pres comm, indie comm. Meetings and emails.
Participation Fund – EM & RJ
RJ: Fund to make S&S more accessible. Not much written down about it. Needs to change. We want more money in it. Currently no fundraising for it. Prioritising Cuth’s sports and socs over DU. Unsure about how much money we give, whole thing or some? Process is fill out a form, then there’s a panel to interview them.
EM: If there was also travel needed where do we stand on that?
JC: Can we add JCR levy.
RJ: Unsure
CG: I think that’s better than having it from participation fund. Lots of free societies still.
RJ: We’re not means testing, people are just asking for money.
EM: Don’t think we should cover it
RJ: You can pay levy in instalments
EM: If we pay levy for people it takes a lot out of the fund.
SM: Did we run out of money last year?
EM: Yes. People applied later in year. Gave some people half of value rather than some people nothing
AC: Participation fund is for people who want to participate. Subsidising levy might reach pepole who don’t want to participate
MW: DU sport already has participation fund so I don’t think Cuth’s should subsidise that too
EM: What if DU subsidy isn’t sufficient for them? We could also help but maybe at lower priority
SA: Could require that they apply for DU subsidy first
SW: If it’s not means tested it’s hard to know what to prioritise
ES: I world feel uncomfortable if I knew I had to interview
MW: Maybe a chat over tea instead
SA: Needs to be worded differently then
JR: DU subs can be £100s, subsidising 4 people for half subs could be whole fund
RJ: This is why we prioritise people doing Cuth’s S&S
CG: How does priority work?
EM: Not activity dependant.
SA: Everyone’s situation is so different that we can’t put people into boxes
JR: Are applications all done at once?
EM: Currently yes
RJ: Subs are mainly done in November so now is a good time for it
ES: In new year, might be nice to have a separate pot opened up
SM: Making pot bigger, is that from budget or elsewhere?
EM: Alumni, local sponsorship. Former president tried to get sponsorship but had no responses. Could ask alumni, SCR members and staff for £10 per year and see what we can raise
JC: Can we also increase it from annual budget?
RJ: We can increase to £1k for now
AC: How will we split money over two pots?
RJ: People can work it out every year
JC: Will it be policy or order?
SW: Could go in standing orders
Action: JC to write relevant motion
Hatfield Formal – EM
EM: You should have it in your diaries
AC: I have a diary now
EM: it’s £8. Would you prefer to all send £8 to RJ or bring it in cash?
*Agreement for paying RJ*
AC: Do we need to wear gowns?
EM: Yes, try to source your own, but Hatfield have some spares
Running for Positions While Holding a Position – JC
JC: Rules surrounding people holding multiple positions are awkward and unclear, so they need to be re-written. But when doing so, it’s important to consider when someone needs to resign from a current role to run for another for the same term. Currently people need to resign from current role before running. Could in principle be different for Method I and II/III as I is more serious. Also think special situation of running for a more senior version of current position needs to be considered eg. Assistant rep -> rep, JRO -> SRO, Committee Member -> Chair
MW: I think all positions should be the same and should resign once you have the role. Adds extra stress for people going for similar positions
SA: I think going for a senior position you should resign after the election
MW: Often people would want ot continue if they didn’t get other role
AC: Depends if you’re skipping positions for personal gain
CG: People will do it anyway. Some people will end up resigning then re-running
SW: People can get embittered when they lose elections.
Rehash: Can be a long time delay between elections too
ES: In recent case, I think it was right because the person had to commit. Don’t want people ringfencing roles or getting something so they have a JCR role only to run for something else later. Think it’s different for same a position on a committee they currently sit on.
JR: I think positions being filled is positive and so are contested elections, and people not resigning from positions until after the election helps both of those
SW: SP (SRO) agrees with JR
MW: Within same committee, resignation shouldn’t be needed, but going elsewhere it should be required that they resign before elections.
EM: Does that cover method II to III, and to I?
ES: If someone on welfare wants to be welfare campaigns, they shouldn’t need to resign
Action: JC to write motion so that running for a position on same committee or more senior version of current position, they don’t need to resign till after election results. In all other cases they need to resign before running.
Registers for Societies – AC
AC: Taking registers for societies with no subs isn’t checked. What are thoughts on people who haven’t paid levy going to free stuff. Societies with no costs.
EM: If you pay levy that allows you to be part of a community. Although they’re free, JCR has put time and effort in. People who don’t pay levy shouldn’t get benefit from that
AC: People from other colleges can come to some of our events. Like FemSoc talks, ripped off events.
EM: Can they?
AC: As long as they’re beneficial to Cuth’s and pay 125% subs
RJ: Can’t refuse entry to public spaces
SW: Events where they charge people from other colleges pay 125%
AC: So I do need to take a register of free societies?
JR: Last year there were categories of societies that were political. Could we exclude them from need for register?
RJ: This was brought in because levy was changed to opt-in. Don’t need to be authoritarian on this, but if there are costs involved we need to take lists.
SW: Was also bought in because people took positions in Cuth’s clubs that other people could have filled. Could still be true in a free society
AC: Maybe different rules for running for positions
AJ: What about library?
RJ: Should be Cuth’s only, but we can’t enforce it
AJ: Is Cuth’s only, but can’t enforce levy payment.
*Agreement not to enforce for library*
EM: I don’t want to police everything, but what if a student only wants to do things like FemSoc, Christian Union, Ripped Off, becomes part of an enriching community, where other people have paid to be a part and these people get it for free. Seems unfair on the people who paid.
AC: We don’t want that, but is it worth it for the tiny number of people?
EM: Once we know who hasn’t paid the levy, we can circulate it and if those people keep turning up to things then we can take action
SM: Last year art had a subsidised workshop, and someone tried to sign up without paying levy. So a register is useful.
CG: Ripped off has aims which include working other colleges. So people have been invited to banner painting from other colleges.
EM: Are they regular members? Or are they a guest to learn?
CG: Guest. What about flyers?
EM: Flyers don’t make you part of a community. Spending regular time partaking in activities with people does.
JR: I think there’s a distinction between certain types of societies. Some are representational, some are activities
SW: We’d never stop people going to welfare for not paying levy, but would if they tried to run for a position
RJ: Let’s have lists for every society
EM: Some situations we don’t care out. Need a list of regulars.
AC: Or could send reasons if other people are there.
Action: AC and RJ to work on post for S&S presidents
What a College Needs – EM
EM: University are twats. New colleges are being built, but we don’t think the facilities are adequate. Booking spaces in Maiden Castle is very hard, especially for colleges that have just moved to Durham that don’t have regular spots. We’d like to come up with a list of essential and bonus things for new colleges. New colleges don’t have libraries because Billy B is never full.
SM: Was study room or computer room mentioned? Some study space should be essential.
SA: Printers are essential too
SA: Laundry room
CG: Welfare room/office
SA: Bike rack/shed
AC: President’s Flat
RJ: Exec office
SM: Toastie bar
ES: Gender neutral toilets
SM: Reception
CG: JCR storage facilities
JCR Membership on Years Abroad or Out – SW
SW: Recently someone campaigned in an election was on a year out from their course. Students on year abroad are allowed to campaign, but that’s part of their course and year out isn’t. They had paid the levy and were still covered by the 4 years. We need a policy for this.
AJ: I think it’s reasonable to allow them to campaign but not to turn up to S&S
JR: Didn’t we have a similar discussion to this about masters students?
EM: They’re doing a degree
ES: If we didn’t let them get involved it would be alienating. Wouldn’t do it to people on years abroad. Often the result of a difficult situation.
SW: They were still enrolled as a student
JC: I think we should allow it if they’re still enrolled, and only up to 4 years of membership.
SW: What if they would have done 5 years? Even though normal limit is 4 years.
EM: Reasonable to say up to 4 years of JCR membership covered.
SW: What if you were away and then someone asked you to be on their campaign team?
RJ: Maybe limit to 4 years of active participation?
SW: Covered up to 4 years
JC: 4 years of active participation, passive participation allowed if still a student
Formals – SW
SW: I don’t feel great about the new formals thing were exec police door. In some colleges there is resentment to exec because they have to discipline people at formals. We have had complaints about cliqueyness before. Who would pay for external security? University cut staff, and now we’re volunteering to fill in gaps.
EM: Evening porter post is still unfilled, not yet had any satisfactory candidates. So this is temporary.
SW: My misunderstanding, I apologise
JR: I agree we shouldn’t go down this route, it sounds awful at Hatfield
EM: Not really discipline, just not letting people into the hall at wrong time
RJ: Is there not a porter on duty during formal? Why can’t they do it?
EM: Not an extra porter on during that time
SM: At Castle external security has ruined formals. Not ideal but better than outsourcing.
EM: Not long term solution
ES: Could allow anyone to do it
MW: Could advertise to bar staff, some of us like shouting at drunk people
SA: Could wear bar staff top too to look official, looks less cliquey.
AC: Could just be paid for it rather than getting a free formal.
Action: EM to take this to college management next Monday. We think bar staff would be best solution.
*This week JC and AC will do it*
AOB
JR: Silly fresh
*Meeting Adjourned*